Women's Tennis Hosting NCAA Regional Play This Friday Through Sunday

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA–– Williams (21-2) beat Tufts (13-5) 5-0 to secure a NCAA Quarterfinal spot. First year Rebecca Curran (Rumford, RI) defeated Janice Lam (San Francisco, CA) 6-0, 6-4 to give the Ephs' their fifth and final point. Just two years ago Nancy Worley (New Orleans, LA) notched the deciding point in a NCAA Tournament match to lift Williams over Tufts 5-4 played in Williamstown. The Ephs are 5-0 in NCAA Tournament play.

The Ephs and Jumbos have met 37 times since 1976 with Williams leading the all-time series 26-11. Tufts has played in 12 straight NCAA Tournaments, and a win today would have given them their second straight Quarterfinal spot under Head Coach Kate Bayard. Today's win gives the Ephs' their fifth NCAA Quarterfinal appearance under Head Coach Alison Swain. The victory also elevates Swain's all-time wins record to 108-13.

Elkins carried the Ephs' momentum into singles play. She beat Bowman 6-0, 6-0 to finish first and give the Ephs' their fourth point. Curran's 6-0, 6-4 win over Lam at the No. 6 spot ensured the Ephs' victory and the resulting spot at Quarterfinals.

Williams will travel to Cary, NC for the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The Ephs will compete in the team tournament May 21-23, while Alotta and Shoemaker will stay on from May 23-26 for the individual tournament.

WILIAMSTOWN, MA – Tufts University (9-10) defeated Salem State (13-3) 5-0 this afternoon to set up an all-NESCAC regional final tomorrow afternoon. Tufts will play Williams, a 6-0 winner over Elizabethtown, tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 PM to determine the region's representative at the NCAA Quarterfinals to be played in Cary, NC, May 21-23.

The Jumbos asserted themselves early taking all three doubles matches by comfortable margins. The first Tufts point came at number two doubles where the duo of Samantha Gann/Janice Lam won 8-0. The second point came from the top Tufts' tandem of Lindsay Katz/Shelci Bowman who claimed an 8-1 win. The sweep of the doubles was completed when Tufts' third duo of Sophie Schonfeld/Rebecca Kimmel registered an 8-2 win.

Needing just two singles wins to advance to the regional finals the Jumbos garnered straight set wins at four and six to seal the win. At four singles Samantha Gann downed Salem's Carly Muniz, 6-0, 6-1, and at six singles the Jumbos' Janice Lam defeated Jessica Spinale 6-0, 6-0.

With the win the Jumbos elevated their all-time NCAA record to 13-11, while Salem State, which won in its first ever NCAA match yesterday, now sports an all-time record of 1-1 in the NCAA Tournament.

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA-- The Williams women's tennis team advanced to the third round of the DIII NCAA tournament with a 6-0 win over Elizabethtown. The loss finishes Elizabethtown's season with an 18-3 record, while Williams improves to 20-2.

Williams held a 3-0 lead after doubles play, behind strong performances across the board. Rebecca Curran and Caroline Capute took down Jess Holden and Kaitlyn Pellegrino 8-0 at the number three position. Taylor French and Kara Shoemaker and the closest match of the first session, eventually beating Madison Pipkin and Allison Burkhardt 8-4 at number one.

Kara Shoemaker was first off with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Alena Marani to give Williams their fourth point. Caroline Capute was next with a 6-2, 6-1 victory to clinch the match. Rebecca Curran finished just after Capute, posting a 6-0, 6-2 win, and the rest of the Ephs lead their matches when the match reached decision.

Williams advances to play the winner of Tufts and Salem State for a spot in the elite eight.

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Salem State sailed to three straight singles wins Friday to close out a 5-1 win over Gwynedd-Mercy in the first round of the 2012 Div. III NCAA Tournament in a match played at Williams College.

The Vikings improved to 13-2 on the season and advanced to a second round match Saturday against Tufts University at 4 p.m. Gywnedd-Mercy finished 15-3.

Gwynedd-Mercy took a 1-0 when Gabby Muller and Kellie Booth doubled up their Salem State opponents, 8-4, at third doubles. But Michelle McEwen and Lauren Turenne evened things at one by outlasting their first doubles foes, 8-5. A key turning point came at second doubles, when the Viking tandem of Carly Muniz and Melissa Govertsen won a 9-8 (7-3) tiebreak decision over Caroline Lockwood and Chelsea Jones.

Salem State then took control of the match in singles play as McEwen sailed to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Scarpello at one singles, and Jessica Spinale swept Booth at two singles, 6-1, 6-2. Turenne clinched the win for Salem when she wrapped up a 6-4, 6-4 straight-set win over Taylor Michener at two singles.

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Trailing 2-1 after doubles play, Elizabethtown swept singles play Friday, winning the first four matches to defeat Endicott, 5-2, in the first round of the Div. III NCAA Tournament.

Elizabethtown improved to 18-2 and will face Williams (19-2) in a second round match Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The Gulls finished their season at 14-2.

Doubles wins by the tandems of Kate Cioffi and Emily Annis (8-6) and Emilie Cloutier and Amy Heacox (9-7) gave Endicott a 2-1 lead. But Elizabethtown turned the match around in singles play, capturing four wins in straight sets.

Kristi Noecker tied the match 2-2 with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Annis at four singles. Allison Burkhardt gave the Blue Jays the lead when she completed a 6-3, 6-3 win over Heacox at third singles. Sarah Poulle then swept Gina Pinciaro 6-3, 6-4, and Christine Evangelista finished off the match with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) win over Natalie Egbert at five singles.

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Alison Swain's Williams women's tennis team (19-2) has been awarded an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament and will serve as a regional host this weekend.

Six teams are coming to Williams Friday through Sunday to determine the region's representative at the national quarterfinals in Cary, NC, May 21-23. The host Ephs and NESCAC foe Tufts have been awarded first round byes this weekend and will first play on Saturday afternoon.

Joining Williams and Tufts this weekend are Elizabethtown (PA), Endicott, Gwynedd-Mercy (PA), and Salem St.

Friday's first match will feature Elizabethtown facing Endicott (16-4) at 1:30pm. Elizabethtown (17-2) won its third straight Commonwealth Conference title and the Blue Jays are in search of the program's first NCAA win, having participated in the tournament in 2008, 2010 and 2011.

Endicott, the Commonwealth Coast Conference champions, is making their second trip to the NCAA tournament and are also in search of their first NCAA tourney victory. The Gulls downed top-seeded Nichols on the road to capture the Commonwealth crown and secure the conference's automatic bid.

The winner of the Endicott-Elizabethtown match will advance to play host Williams at 1:30pm on Saturday. The Ephs are appearing in thier 19th straight NCAA Tournament and sport an overall record of 53-13, having posted 11 top four finishes. Williams has won the last four NCAA titles, tying Emory for most consecutive titles won, however, the Ephs lead in overall titles with six.

The Salem State Vikings (12-2) are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Little East Conference title by edging Bridgewater State (MA) 5-4.

The Griffins of Gwynedd-Marcy (17-2) won the Colonial States Athletic Conference title to land a berth in this year's NCAA championship. This marks the 4th time the Griffins have advanced to the NCAA tourney and they are in search of their first tourney win.

The winner of the 4:00pm Salem State vs. Gwynedd-Mercy match will not only record its first NCAA tourney victory, but will advance to play Tufts University on Saturday at 4:00pm.

The Tufts Jumbos (8-10) and are making their 12th consecutive NCAA tourney appearance and they sport an overall record of 12-11. A year ago the Jumbos made their first trip to the national quarterfinals. Tufts is one of five NESCAC teams landing a berth in this year's NCAA tourney.